Method of making metallic shelving



Sept. 6, 1966 A. E. o. ANDREASSEN 3,

METHOD OF MAKING METALLIC SHELVING Filed Aug. 6, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet lINVENTOR. Acreafd Mme/1 Sept. 6, 1966 A. E. o. ANDREASSEN 3,270,404

METHOD OF MAKING METALLIC SHELVING Filed Aug. 6, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 223 7 i 2 a Z INVENTOR.

A TT( )R NE YS Sept. 6, 1966 A. E. o. ANDREASSEN 3, 7

METHOD OF MAKING METALLIC SHELVING 4 Sheets-$heet 5 Filed Aug. 6, 1963Sept. 6, 1966 A. E. o. ANDREASSEN 3,270,404

METHOD OF MAKING METALLIC SHELVING 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 6, 1963INVENTOR.

/ A TTORA EYS United States Patent 3,270,404 METHOD OF MAKING METALLICSHELVING Alfred E. 0. Andre'assen, Waterloo, Iowa, assignor toChamberlain Corporation, Waterloo, Iowa, a corporation of Iowa FiledAug. 6, 1963, Ser. No. 300,271 8 Claims. (Cl. 29-460) This inventionrelates to improvements in a method of making metallic shelving, andmore particularly to making of metallic shelving of the type highlydesirable for use in refrigerators, stoves, various types of commercialcabinets, and in other and various locations as will be apparent to oneskilled in the art.

Shelves of this general type are usually made with front and rear crossbars for the smaller shelves, and with front, center and rear cross barsfor the larger shelves, with spaced wires or rods extending from thefront to the rear cross bars and secured to the cross bars. Differenttypes of side members to which the ends of the cross bars are securedare also used and the structure of the particular side members dependsupon the character of the shelf itself, that is whether it is mounted incantilever fashion, in a glideout shelf, a swing-out shelf, or someother form.

While different methods have been developed for the making of shelvingof this type, the common expedient in the past has been to thread theends of the wires or rods through apertures in the front and rear crossbars or frame members and rivet or peen the rods to the bars. The wireswould enter into notches in the center cross bar and the bar or the wirestaked adjacent the notch to hold the same connected. Riveting the endsof the wires to the front and rear rails or cross bars of the shelfstructures required heading the wires and it Was an expensive and costlyoperation. Staking the wires to the center of the cross bar rendered theshelf somewhat unsightly due to the nicked appearance and the stakingdid not hold the wires with desirable strength and security, sincesometimes the wires actually became loosened. Difiiculty was alsoexperienced in the past in acquiring a trim member which extends acrossthe front of the shelf and usually functions as a handle, of differentcolor than the shelf itself. A further disadvantage of the manufactureof such shelving as heretofore known resided in the fact that the crossbars, in order to afford a sufficiently strong shelf structure, weremade of stock that was purchased in straight lengths from which thedesired unit lengths were severed, and the bars were too great in crosssection to be severed from a roll of stock and successfully straightenedin accordance with economic production.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an important object of the instantinvention to provide a method of making metallic shelving, which resultsin a better shelf structure produced far more economically than washeretofore possible.

Another important object of this invention is the provision of a methodof making metallic shelving which results in increased production ratesand lends itself to automation.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a method ofmaking metallic shelving in which lighter cross bar or frame members maybe utilized, and which are sufficiently small in size to permitseverance of the desired length from a stock roll.

Another feature of the instant invention resides in the provision of amethod of making shelves, wherein riveting of the ends of the wires isentirely eliminated.

Another desideratum of the invention is the provision of a method ofmaking shelves which results in stronger and more positive anchorage ofthe wires with a greater bed for the wires to seat upon.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a method of makingshelving which results in a shelf to which a preformed trim member maybe readily snapped or telescoped, whereby it is economical and simple toprovide a trim member different in color than the shelf.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a method ofmaking shelving which results in the automatic strengthening of thesmaller cross bars used and at the same time providing a shelf morepleasing in appearance in that the disrupted appearance of staking tohold the wires is eliminated.

While some of the more salient features, characteristics and advantagesof the instant invention have been above pointed out, others will becomeapparent from the following disclosure, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic viewindicating the succession of steps followed in the practice of a methodembodying principles of the instant invention;

FIGURE 2. is an enlarged fragmentary plan view indicating the cutting ofthe shelf cross bars;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the lower cross bar notching die;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially asindicated by the line IV-IV of FIGURE 3, looking in the direction of thearrows;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view illustrating thenotching of the cross bar, with the upper notching die in associationwith the lower;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating the placing of thewires in the cross bar;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view illustrating theswaging of the cross bars to strengthen the same and lock the wires inposition;

FIGURE 8 is a greatly enlarged vertical sectional view illustrating thenotching and saddle forming operation, taken substantially as indicatedby the line VII-- .VII of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 9 is a view similar in character to FIGURE 5 showing theoperation between the swaging die and the lower notching die, takensubstantially as indicated by the line IX--IX of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view illustrating theswaging of the front cross bar and the die used therefor;

FIGURE 11 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the swaging die for thefront cross bar;

FIGURE 12 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional viewtaken substantially as indicated by the line XII-XII of FIGURE 10;

FIGURE 13 is a perspective view of a completed shelf;

FIGURE 14 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially asindicated by the line XIV-XIV of FIG- URE 13 showing the connectionbetween the trim member and the front cross bar;

FIGURE 15 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantiallyas indicated by the line XVXV of FIGURE 14; and

FIGURE 16 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially asindicated by the line XVI-XVI of FIG- URE 13.

As shown on the drawings:

By way of example and not by way of limitation, the instant inventionwill be herein described as employed in the making of a refrigerator orcommercial cabinet shelf of the cantilever variety, although it will beunderstood that by merely changing the side members of the shelf, theshelf may be altered to be a vertically pivotal shelf, a swing-outshelf, a glideout shelf, and so on. The shelf is made of metal, and forrefrigerators and similar locations aluminum is preferably used becauseof its lightness and the ease with which it may be shaped, al-

though other metals may also be used such as steel for shelves utilizedin ovens and the like.

Briefly in the performance of the instant invention, the cross bars aresevered from a coil of stock in the desired lengths for the particularshelving being then manufactured, straightened in any suitable manner,and placed on edge in a lower die. By vertical pressure notches areformed in the cross bar with a notching die, and a lateral thickening orsaddle occurs at the base of each notch to seat the wires. The wires arethen placed in position in the cross bars, and by suitable top dies, thespace between the notches is flattened at the top to provide astrengthening substantially T-shaped cross section to the cross barsbetween the Wires. This formation overlaps the wires to a materialextent and securely bonds the wires to the cross bars. The top dieutilized for the front cross bar has spaced voids therein which resultsin providing upstanding lugs on the front cross bar at spaced intervals,both inner and outer lugs being provided, and the front trim may besnapped into position on the bar being held at the top by those lugs, orit may be telescoped along the cross bar into proper position.

As diagrammatically indicated in FIGURE 1, the making of shelving by theinstant method is a continuous procedure. While the drawings illustratethe shaping and attachment of wires to one cross bar at a time, it willbe understood by those skilled in the art that the die means may be madeto accommodate two or three cross bars as the case may be and there maybe an equal number of coils of bar stock so that a complete shelf exceptfor trim and side members may be completed in one substantiallycontinuous succession of operations.

Bar stock is continuously fed from a coil 1 to station A where suitableparting dies, not shown, successively severs the strip into cross bars 2of the desired length for the particular shelf. These cross bars arethen moved to station E where they are placed on edge in a base ornotching die and provided with notches with saddle formations at thebottoms thereof. The base or notching die in which the members remain isthen moved to station C where wires or rods 3 are placed in the notchesof the cross bars, and the base die is then moved to station D carryingthe wires. At station D by suitable die mechanisms and under directdownward compression, the cross bars are shaped at their upper marginsin a manner to both strengthen them and securely lock the wires to thecross bars, the front cross bar being further provided with lugs to holda preformed trim member in place at the front of the shelf.

Assuming, for example, the making of a refrigerator shelf, the materialfrom the stock coil 1 is preferably aluminum in the form of a band or aribbon. The aluminum is thinner and lighter than that previously usedfor shelving of equal strength and capacity. At station A, a portion ofthe stock is straightened in any suitable manner, such as by rolls or bymeans carried by the parting dies, and the material is severed intodesired lengths or cross bars 2 by the parting dies in a manner toprovide an extending tongue 4 on each end of each bar 2. The feed fromthe roll of stock can be practically continuous, except for the slightstop at the time the cut is made. For example, the bar material forshelving of the type used in average household refrigerators couldsatisfactorily be inch in thickness and inch in width.

At station B a bar 2 is associated with each of two or more base ornotching dies, so that the complete center portion of a shelf may beconstructed at one time, although only one such base die is shown andwill be described for purposes of convenience. As seen best in FIGURES 3and 4, a base die 5 comprises a suitable block of metal 6 having spacedtransversely extending grooves 7 therein, each of the size toaccommodate a wire or rod 3. The die block 6 is also provided with arelatively wide centrally disposed longitudinal deep groove or slot 8,FIGURE 4, and disposed on opposite sides of this slot 8 are identicalconfronting hardened steel members 9 and 10 each of which is of lessheight than the die block 6 to provide opposed shoulders at 11 and 12respectively, defined by the upper edge of the hardened member and theadjacent wall of the die block extending thereabove. Each of the members9 and 10 is provided with spaced notches 13 therein in registry with thetransverse grooves 7 in the die block. At the base of the notches 7 and13 lateral concavities 14 are formed in the members 9 and 10 and the dieblock. Between the members 9 and 10 a groove 15 remains which is of justthe size to receive a cross bar 2 standing on edge. As seen best inFIGURE 3 the cross bar 2 after being cut from the stock strip is turnededgewise and either slid into the groove 15 or picked up and dropped inthat groove. When in such position, the cross bar extends approximatelyflush with the top of the die block and projects above the hardenedmembers 9 and 10.

With the bar 2 positioned in the slot 15 between the members 9 and 10,as seen in FIGURE 5, an upper notching die 16 having rounded dependingprojections 17 thereon which fit into the transverse grooves 7 in thedie block 6, is brought down under pressure upon the exposed upper edgeof the bar 2. This operation provides spaced notches 18 in the bar 2,and because of the concave rerecesses 14 at the same time provides alaterally widened saddle 19 at the base of each notch upon which thewires 3 may seat. It will be noted that this saddle is considerablywider than the thickness of the bar 2 and therefore not only addsstrength to the bar but also provides more than adequate seating foreach wire when in the bar notch. As seen in FIGURE 8, the grooves 7 inthe die block 6 limit the downward motion of the notching die 16.

At station C, the wires 3 are disposed in the grooves of the base die 6and in the notches 0f the bar 2, as seen in FIGURE 6.

At station D, a compression die 20 is brought down upon the upper edgeof the bar 2 as seen in FIGURES 7 and 9. This die is provided withprojecting lands 21 to contact the upper edge of the bar 2 betweenadjacent notches 18, and between these lands the die is relieved asindicated at 22 by an arcuate recess to overlie each of the wires 3. Onesimple downward movement of the die 20 is sufiicient to compress theupper marginal portion of the bar 2 and cause it to flow laterally intothe space within the groove 8 of the base die above the hardened members9 and 10 and provide substantially a T-shaped upper portion 23 on thebar as seen best in cross section in FIGURE 12. At the same time, each Tformation also flows to some extent transversely to the axes of thewires 3 and overlaps these wires to a material extent as indi cated at24 so that only approximately /5 of the circumference of each wire isexposed. Thus, the wires are firmly and securely anchored to the bars toa greater extent than was accomplished heretofore, and the relativelythin bars are materially strengthened by the T formation.

At the same time the wires are so locked in each of the cross bars 2,the front cross bar 2a which is formed identically as above described,is additionally provided with upstanding spaced inner and outer lugs orprojections 25 and 26 respectively each of which is considerably thinnerthan the thickness of the bar. These lugs may be arranged oppositelyeach other, or staggered with respect to the inner and outer lugs asshown in FIG- URES 10 and 14 and, in effect, form a track to receive thefront trim member in a manner to be later described.

The lugs 25 and 26 are provided with a compression die 20a having all ofthe features of the die 20, but which is provided with spaced inner andouter voids or recesses 27 and 28. When the upper edge portion of thisbar is pressed into T-shape, a part of the upper margin of the bar willpartially fill those voids and form the lugs as seen in FIGURES 10 and11.

The process described to date results in that portion ofthe shelfcomprising the two or more cross bars and the wires locked to thosecross bars. It will be noted that the wires need only be cut intodesired lengths, no other shaping or heading of these wires beingnecessary. It should further be noted that two simple press operationsare all that is required to shape and strengthen the cross bars andunite the wires firmly thereto. Riveting or peening of the ends of thewires to any structure has been totally eliminated.

Any suitable form of side members may be provided on the shelf,depending upon the particular character and use of the shelf. By way ofexample, I have illustrated side members for a cantilever shelf. One ofthese side members is best seen in FIGURE 13 and comprises a reinforcedmember 29 having a hook formation 30 on the rear end thereof forsupporting the shelf. The extension 4 on the end of each bar 2 is passedthrough a suitable aperture in the side member and riveted thereto asindicated at 31 in FIGURE 16.

To complete the shelf it is simply necessary to easily attach apreformed front trim member 32 which functions as a decorative medium aswell as a handle in the event the shelf is of the glideout type. Thetrim member may be given any desirable shape, and in the illustratedinstance it has a hollow body portion as seen best in FIGURE 15 with adownwardly turned flange 33 for engagement between the aforesaid lugs 25and 26. On the underside thereof the trim member has a groove formation34 to receive the lower edge of the front cross bar 2a.

This trim member 32 may be attached by placing the flange 33 between theinner and outer lugs 25 and 26, pressing downwardly and snapping thegroove formation 34 into engagement with the lower edge of the cross bar2a. Should it be desired to have a closure or partial closure at theends of the trim 32, which might be opened up somewhat in such a snap-onoperation, it will be noted that the trim member may be telescoped fromone end to the other across the front cross bar of the shelf, slidingthe flange 33 along between the lugs 25 and 26 and sliding the grooveformation along the under edge of the bar 2a. In either way thepreformed trim ring is simply and expeditiously attached. It should alsobe noted that with the instant shelf, the trim ring may be made anydesired color contrasting with that of the shelf, without any diflicultysince the wires and cross bars are not fixedly attached to any portionof the trim member.

From the foregoing it is apparent that I have provided a method ofmanufacturing metallic shelving which requires only a few simple steps,namely cutting operations on bar stock that may be unwound from a coiland the simple severance of wire lengths, and two easy press operations.The side members 29 may be connected to the cross bars of the main shelfportion at any time during the process that may be desired. The processis simple, lends itself to automation, and results in the provision of acomparatively stronger shelf with the use of lighter material, and thewires are firmly anchored. The result of the practice of the method isan economical highly eflicient and pleasantly appearing shelf structure.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effectedwithout departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the presentinvention.

I claim as my invention:

1. The method of making a metallic shelf structure, including the stepsof feeding and unrolling cross-bar stock from a supply coil,

severing cross-bar lengths from said stock in a manner to provide aprojecting tongue on each end of a cross-bar,

placing each cross-bar on edge,

notching each cross-bar by downward pressure to provide space-d notchestherealong with a widened saddle at the base of each not-ch, placingwires in said notches 011 said saddles, flattening the upper marginalportion of each crossbar into a T-shape by downward pressure betweensaid notches in a manner to cause said flattened portions to overlie thewires and anchor the same in said notches, and riveting said tongues toshelf side members. 2. In a method of making a metallic shelf structure,the steps of cutting front and rear cross-bars from a coil of stock,placing said cross-bars on edge, forming spaced notches in said barswith a widened saddle laterally of the bar at the bottom of each notchby transverse pressure on an edge of each bar, placing wires in thenotches of said cross-bars on said saddles, and flattening the upperportions of said bars between said notches to reinforce the bars andcause the flattened portions to flow longitudinally of the bar andoverlap said wires and hold the same in place. 3. In a method of makinga metallic shelf structure, the steps of cutting front and rearcross-bars from a coil of stock, placing said cross-bars on edge,forming spaced notches in said bars with a widened saddle at the bottomof each notch by downward pressure, placing wires in the notches of saidcross-bars on said saddles, flattening the upper marginal portions ofsaid bars between notches laterally and longitudinally of the bars tostrengthen the bars and anchor the wires in place, simultaneouslyforming spaced upstanding lugs on the upper edge of the front bar, andengaging a trim member with said lugs. 4. In a method of making ametallic shelf structure, the steps of placing a cross-bar on edge,simultaneously providing spaced notches in said bar and forming alaterally widened saddle at the base of each notch, placing a wire ineach notch on the saddle, and by downward compression on the upper edgeof said bar flattening the same into a transverse upright T- shape andflowing the metal longitudinally of the bar partially over said wires toanchor the same to said bar. 5. In a method of making a metallic shelfstructure, the steps of providing spaced notches in a cross-bar, placingwires in said notches, and compressing said bar between notches into anupright T-shape and flowing metal longitudinally of the 'bar partiallyover said wires to anchor the same to said bar.

6. In a method of making a metallic shelf structure,

the steps of placing a cross-bar on edge,

compressing spaced notches in said bar,

placing a wire in each of said notches, and

compressing the upper marginal portion of said bar between said notchesto flow metal longitudinally of the bar partially over said wires andform a flattened and laterally widened area in the bar extending betweeneach pair of adjacent notches.

7. In a method of making a metallic shelf structure,

the steps of compressing spaced notches inwardly from the edge in across-bar and simultaneously forming a laterally widened saddle at thebase of each notch,

placing a wire in each said notch on the respective saddle, and

compressing said cross-bar between notches to form a laterally widenedportion in the bar between notches and flow metal partially over saidWires to anchore the same on said saddles.

8. In a method of making a metallic shelf structure,

the steps of compressing spaced notches inwardly from the edge in across-bar and simultaneously forming a laterally widened saddle at thebase of each notch,

placing a Wire in each said notch on the respective saddle, and

compressing said cross-bar between said notches to flow metal partiallyover said Wires to anchor the lugs on the edge of the cross-bar toanchor a trim member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS M-iles 14025 XLachman 29l60 Carney 2l1l53 Lave 29-160 Brian 29-160 X Paullus et a1.29-163.5 Jardin 29163.5

JOHN F. CAMPBELL, Primary Examiner. same and in the same operationprovide upstanding 15 THOMAS H. EAGER, Examiner.

1. THE METHOD OF MAKING A METALLIC SHELF STRUCTURE, INCLUDING THE STEPSOF FEEDING AND UNROLLING CROSS-BAR STOCK FROM A SUPPLY COIL, SEVERINGCROSS-BAR LENGTHS FROM SAID STOCK IN A MANNER TO PROVIDE A PROJECTINGTONGUE ON EACH END OF A CROSS-BAR, PLACING EACH CROSS-BAR ON EDGE,NOTCHING EACH CROSS-BAR BY DOWNWARD PRESSURE TO PROVIDE SPACED NOTCHESTHEREALONG WITH A WIDENED SADDLE AT THE BASE OF EACH NOTCH PLACING WIRESIN SAID NOTCHES ON SAID SADDLES, FLATTENING THE UPPER MARGINAL PORTIONOF EACH CROSSBAR INTO A T -SHAPED BY DOWNWARD PRESSURE BETWEEN SAIDNOTCHES IN A MANNER TO CAUSE SAID FLATTENED PORTIONS TO OVERLIE THEWIRES AND ANCHOR THE SAME IN SAID NOTCHES, AND RIVETING SAID TONGUES TOSHELF SIDE MEMBERS.